History is a fascinating subject, don’t you think? Sure it’s possible some people might not agree with that, but I won’t hold it against them. Then again, they might find themselves in the Hessian town of Bad Emstal — and totally find themselves agreeing with me.

There’s more to Bad Emstal than just history; and its name proves it. Its “Bad” designation means it’s a spa town — so prepare your self for being pampered from its hot springs.

Bad Emstal is new to the whole spa thing, only since the 1970s, but they’ve managed to get it right in such a short period of time.

Good forty years ago is but a mere drip in Bad Emstal’s history. One of its oldest sites dates back to the second millennium B.C. — which you’ll see if you head to the Altenburg, a prehistoric castle.

Much younger than the Altenburg, but still old, is the Burgruine Falkenstein. This is a true medieval Romanesque castle, with walls some 1.4 meters thick. Wow, there was no getting out of that dungeon.

The Middle Ages made a real impact here — best seen by the Romanesque Abbey Church at the Kloster Merxhausen. Or, should I say, at what used to be the Kloster Merxhausen — a convent built in 1213. It was used by nuns until a fire destroyed it in 1475, only to be rebuilt by another monastery in the 1480s. For the last 500 years the monastery has been a hospital — a psychiatric one today. It doesn’t stop it from being the venue for the Monastery Games, held every two years.

After the Middle Ages came the Renaissance; and the Castle Riede. Wait, that’s not true since some of the castle’s original walls came from the 13th century; and the original construction on it started in 1074. It just didn’t have the English Gardens back then, like it’s got now.

Bad Emstal’s Protestant Church in the village of Balhorn has changed over the years, too. It started out as a simple medieval church, became a fortified one in 1488 (hey, that were rough times & people had to stay safe), got a Gothic facelift, and a Baroque renovation in the 18th century.

Just don’t confuse it with the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church — which is a 20th century design.

Either way, history is history. And I’m glad to have learned a good deal of it in Bad Emstal. I’m even happier that I got to soak in a spa afterwards. ;-)

Last night I had the most awful dream. I dreamt that you, my wonderful reader friends, got (gasp!) bored reading about Germany. Yeah, I know, how could I ever write such a thing, especially when Baden-Württemberg keeps throwing out great nuggets like Güglingen.

For the wine lover in all of you, this is the place to be. It’s totally surrounded by vineyards, and it’s the spot for an annual Wine Festival every September. Because wine is important to Güglingen, it’s forever immortalized in one of the town’s fountains.

There are a whole bunch fountains to be found here, by the way (like the Marktbrunnen from 1568); along with some 50 pieces of sculpture and art. It’s like a treasure hunt to find them all, so make a game of it to find the Four Seasons, Sphinx, Guardian, and Aquatic Animals to name a few.

Of course it’s easy to get distracted by Güglingen’s historical buildings. You can’t miss the light blue half-timbered Town Hall, which is also a Roman Museum.

No, it isn’t out of place here, because the entire region was once crawling with them; along with the Celts and Stone Age folks. Just not at the same time. ;-)

Ah, back to what I was going on about… the buildings. Bring lots of film (or leave room on your digital camera card) so you can get pictures of the 16th century Herzogskelter, the Chapel of St. Leonard, and the Steinhaus (Stone House, built in 1349).

Don’t miss seeing Güglingen’s Mauritiuskirche, originally built in 1241 — only to be rebuilt in the 1850s because of a fire. The Marienkirche is a wonderful church from the 15th century, so come here too.

Me? I’ll take the bleak stone ruins of Burg Blankenhorn any day of the week. Once the dwelling of the Hohenstaufen’s, this 13th century castle ruin is now accessible to anyone interested. Oh yeah, and it’s free to do it, too.

Then again, if you prefer all the eco-touristy stuff, you can run off to do that instead. There are three well-marked hiking and biking trails found throughout Güglingen, making it really easy to get around.

And Güglingen makes it really easy to eat. Come the end of August when there’s the Bakery Festival, while the Maytime Festival takes place at Pentecost.

Wasn’t I happy to wake up from my nightmare, only to realize that I was in a dream town. Thanks, Güglingen — I’ll sleep restfully from now on. :-)

Great, we’re back to good things that come in small packages again. But, for the record, it’s all a matter of perspective as to how small the town of Eichwalde really is.

Well, I could say that Eichwalde is three times the size as the Vatican in Italy. I could say that Eichwalde is the second most populated town in the entire federal state.

Does any of this mean anything to you? It should. Just think about all the wonders they managed to fit into the Vatican. And yes, I’m aware that this is a website dedicated entirely to Germany. ;-)

The fact of the matter is, Eichwalde is only 2.8 square kilometers; and with just about 6,000 residents that means it’s got more than 2,000 people per square kilometer.

That’s it of it — nothing more. It cant, really, since it’s bordered by three other villages; leaving it no where to grow. It’s also a suburb of Berlin, a major city so it can’t grow that way.

So, Eichwalde is forever destined to its diminutive size. It’s all right though, chocked full of cultural events, concerts, and exhibitions at its Old Fire Station.

Eichwalde’s small size doesn’t mean it’s without any originality, either. Were you aware that Eichwalde has the last remaining Parabrahm organ in the world?

Look, I’m not even going to try and pretend I know what that is — but I’ll try to explain. The name itself means something like, high artistic accomplishment — and its sound comes from pressed air. However it works, you’ll find it at Eichwalde’s neo-Gothic Protestant Church, built in 1908.

Eichwalde’s Catholic Church is another one of the town’s sites, built in 1913 in a neo-Romanesque design. Before you ask, you won’t find any medieval structures around — the town wasn’t founded until the late 19th century.

The oldest thing in town is Eichwalde’s Oak of Peace, a 300 year old tree. Oh, not true if you count nearby Lake Zeuthen as one of Eichwalde’s sites. I call it a dandy good time for its excellent water quality while I’m swimming.

Wait… there’s actually the Radeland, a manor that was first mentioned in 1673.

Eichwalde only proves you don’t have to be gigantic to be fantastic — and the Vatican is proof of that, so you should believe me when I tell you. ;-)

Cold weather lovers of Germany rejoice, because do I have the ultimate bestest (yes, I’m aware that’s not a word) ski resort town for you. Welcome to Oberwiesenthal, a town of just over 2,200 people high up in the Ore Mountains. And when I say high, I really mean it, because this Saxony town sits at 914 m (2,999 feet) above sea level — literally the highest town in all of Germany.

This slice of winter heaven is great if you love the outdoors, no matter the season. Because of its elevation, you’ll find a myriad of winter sports — everything from downhill and cross-country skiing, to snowboarding, to tobogganing, and even rides on a horse-drawn sleigh.

Don’t let all this winter fun stop you from coming to Oberwiesenthal during the warmer months. In fact, many of its hiking trails are best done from May to October; routes like the Sylke-Otto-Tour, a 21km hike that’ll take you over six hours to do, and the Konrad-Winkler-Tour that’s not quite as difficult at just over 10km — and done in less than four hours.

Whether you take the longer routes, or shorter ones, the fantastic air will do you wonders. And if you like castles, Oberwiesenthal certainly has enough of those to keep you quite busy in itself. I’ve seen Schlettau Castle in the height of summer, as well as the middle of winter, and I really think this grand dame castle is at its most beautiful at night after a freshly fallen snow.

I love castles as much as the next person, but there’s too much else to see and do. You got to make sure you leave time to try Nordic Walking, visit the spa and Kneipp area, take an old stagecoach ride, visit the Ski & Local History Museum, and take a ride on the Fichtelbergbahn (Railway) and Cable Car. Heck, just shopping for locally made lace, wood art, and baskets can keep even the most die-hard shopper busy for quite some time.

Sounds just divine, doesn’t it? No wonder Oberwiesenthal is so high up — it’s as close to Heaven as you can get. ;-)

Holy Mary Sunshine, is there a bazillion things to do in the gorgeous town of Immenstaad am Bodensee… And that’s not even taking into consideration all the great things you can do on Lake Constance, as its name implies.

Because there’s so much to do, I’ll waste no time in telling you that the best of Immenstaad is its Romanesque Church in the village of Frenkenbach. Don’t expect bells and whistles on this church, it is as simple as it could be. But, that’s its charm — a sturdy stone building that’s been around century after century.

All right, not everyone might agree with me that the church is the best part of town — but I’m entitled to my opinion, right? In all fairness, let me tell you about the rest of the place, OK?

As I said before, Immenstaad lies along the Bodensee — so water fun is definitely on the agenda. Take a historical boat ride to learn the story of St. Jodokus, who has a church dedicated to him from the 15th century. Immenstaad has its own marina if you want to ride your own watercraft over.

A 260km bike trail leads around the lake, but not necessary to go that far. Stay right here to try the local “high ropes course,” or to hike around the 6km long apple trail that’s all about, you guessed it, apples.

You’d think there’d be a wine trail as vineyards abound, by the way. Oh, I guess the fact there’s an annual Wine Festival every August.

A town like this isn’t going to have only one festival, you know. The Village Festival is also in August, while May Day comes in September. Ha-ha, just kidding it’s in May like its name implies. :-)

If you’re here on Ash Wednesday, expect to see the town burning a witch. A witch doll, that is. What? This isn’t the Middle Ages anymore, you can’t go around burning folks at the stake.

Would over a quarter of a million people a year come here if they did? No, I didn’t think so either. But, oh, wouldn’t it be worth the risk just to spend one day here — if not for its three castle alone, and that fantastic medieval church.

When is a town not a town? When it’s a “Collective Municipality.” And it’s how the town of Isenbüttel somehow manages to almost triple its population and its land area.

I know, like you really care about that stuff. Just tell you about the sites, attractions, and swimming holes — right? It’s not so simple, ya know. I just make it look easy. ;-)

The first thing to consider is how Isenbüttel lies near the Lüneburg Heath. Oh yeah, Baby, lots of hiking and biking trails to meander along. One famous bike trail is the Weser-Harz-Heide-Radweg, a scenic biking trail that links the Weser with the Elbe.

And Isenbüttel sits along the 20km Hehlenriede River — which isn’t the place to be if you don’t like creepy-crawlies and bugs — since waterbeetles, the Blue Dragonfly, and Bladder worms are found all over the area.

This is great stuff for the eco-tourists, don’t ya think?

Ugh, how did I get on this subject anyway? I’ll stick to sightseeing around old churches and stuff instead. Good thing there’s an old stone one in the village of Wasbüttel.

This village, by the way, is probably one of the most quaint of all of Isenbüttel’s hamlets, with its little lanes and quiet streets.

The only thing missing is a castle, which it did have — a 16th century one, no less. Sorry to say that Castle Ribbesbütte’s is gone today, but there is a 20th century one (b. 1905) standing in its place.

I know I got to be missing something. Hang on, let me look around again…

Ah, yes, I did miss something — the festivals. How silly of me. Not all of Isenbüttel’s events take place every year, but good things are worth waiting for. The Christmas Market and 30km Bike Rally are bi-annual events (that’s every 2 years), while the Flower Festival and Südkreisfete take place every May.

I also (almost) missed out telling you about Isenbüttel’s swimming area — the outdoor pool and the Tankumsee. You can’t go wrong with either one — but why not do both.

So, the next time you’re in neighboring Wolfsburg, consider spending some time here in Isenbüttel. You can’t go wrong with that.

The hardest part about writing this webpage on the town of Klipphausen is trying to figure out what to tell you about first. I guess the beginning would be just as good of a place as any, so here we go…

Klipphausen is a fairly large town of 43 villages and hamlets (covering over 111 square kilometers), bordering Dresden, along the Elbe River. But, that’s not the reason I got all excited about Klipphausen.

No way, this place has a whole bunch of castles to get all tingly about. ;-)

The first of them is the Scharfenberg Castle, built in the very early years of the 13th century. Today this massive medieval monster’s courtyard is used as an artists studio, amongst other things.

There’s another castle in the village of Batzdorf — while this too was of medieval construction, it had to be rebuilt again in the 16th and 17th centuries, for which it maintains to this very day. Even though the castle has some private residences, it is the venue for the annual Batzdorf Baroque Festival.

My favorite is Schloss Gauernitz; and I don’t know why. It’s not like it looks like it did when it was built in the 11th century. Heck, it doesn’t even look like it did when it was rebuilt in the 16th century. I don’t know what it is about this neo-Renaissance castle with its exposed brick and crumbly walls. Maybe it’s because it looks haunted? ;-)

With so many castles in one spot it might be hard to find time to see the rest of Klipphausen.

Take note, my friends, go to the village of Tannenberg and all will be right with the world. This is a tiny village within Klipphausen, just over 240 people living here — but it’s got an old mansion, a wonderful Baroque church (built over an earlier 16th century one), and a stunningly beautiful rhododendron garden.

One stop over there, and you’ll see that I was right about everything being right in the world.

In the very southwest of Germany lies the small town of Heitersheim.

A lot of history took place here, but not the kind of epic battles and such. No, it’s more like a continuous history — a steady stream instead of a rush, so to speak.

The first of the history makers were the Celts, followed by the Romans who made a real impact. They brought wine making to the region, for which we get to enjoy the fruits (literally) of their labor.

A great place to see how the Romans lived around here is over at the Villa Urbana, a first century house that had running water, a pool, and an atrium. This Roman Museum is the place to be on Heritage Day in September — where it holds all kinds of events.

After the Romans left came the Alemanni and Franks, followed by the Knights of the Middle Ages. These last guys also left a mark on this Markgraves’ Land town by building the Malteserschloss, belonging to the Order of Malta.

As history loving as I am, even I got a bit boggle-eyed trying to figure all this Crusader Knight kind of thing out. What I am clear on is the castle has a fine museum that details the Order’s history, some of the armor and robes worn by its members, and 600 volumes of books.

FYI, the museum is open April to November with guided tours available on the first Sunday of the month.

In between museum openings, how about enjoying one of Heitersheim’s festivals or cultural events? The Klausmarkt is a December event full of Christmas cheer, wine, and food. The Erntedank-Pfarrfest is a blending of Thanksgiving & Church festival that’s also all about the food. Seems to be a good match with all the wine tastings at the local wineries.

Still, if you’re hungry again try visiting one of the local eateries with everything from Chinese to ice cream.

Makes me ponder the question — what do you think some of Heitersheim’s history makers think of the place now?

I know I like it. ;-)

The Hessian town of Hohenstein (Taunus) is a definite treat for anyone looking for castle ruins, cultural events, and small German villages with their own unique flair. You’ll find Hohenstein’s northwest of Wiesbaden, in the western Taunus, in case you’re wondering.

Hohenstein’s rolling hills, all dotted with trees and ponds, makes a wonderful spot to find a quiet place to yourself. That is, until, the town decides to hold one of its cultural events.

I know I mentioned castle ruins first, but they’re tied together. Burg Hohenstein (in the village of Burg-Hohenstein — I’m not kidding, no) is the venue for all sorts of summer theater performances at its outdoor stage. Any other time of the year it’s just a simple late 12th century castle that was destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War.

As if a medieval castle is just simple. Silly me… ;-)

Hohenstein isn’t a one festival town — you can look forward to its Christmas Market, and since there are some six other villages, you’ll find a whole bunch of church festivals taking place throughout the summer and autumn.

One such church is the Protestant Church in the village of Holzhausen über Aar. It was built around 1451 in the famous Gothic style; while the town itself is a quiet hamlet of around 1200 people.

The village of Strinz-Margarethä is one of the oldest, while its church is one of the youngest in town, famous for its Baroque organ.

Steckenroth, a village of just over 570 people, also has a Protestant Church — this one from the 18th century. Born’s church is a half-timbered number, built in 1703.

Have I missed anything? Oh yes, telling you about Breithardt — a town that saw quite a bit of action during the Thirty Years’ War; and Hennenthal, a village that’s got almost as many clubs as it does people.

OK, so I exaggerate a little. But, with all there is to see and do in Hohenstein (Taunus), I’m not exaggerating on how great of a town it really is — it truly is a treat for everyone.

Here’s a word for you to say fast five times: Neckartenzlingen. It doesn’t exactly roll off the keyboard so easy either, just so you know.

Leave it to us Germans to have a big name for a teeny-tiny town, too. Neckartenzlingen in Baden-Württemberg, just north of Reutlingen, is only nine square kilometers.

You’ll find it pretty gosh-darn close to some other -ingens, like Bempflingen and Neckartailfingen. Which means, my good friends, that you’ll find yourself right smack in the Swabian Alb.

In case you didn’t know, the Alb is famous for all its towns ending in -ingen. And most of them are easily reached via a number of bus routes. Sorry, no train brings you to Neckartenzlingen, the closest one is in Bempflingen.

Anyway, back to what I was saying (typing), Neckartenzlingen is just a small town of two villages — the village of Neckartenzlingen itself, and Hammetweil.

The latter one is mostly known for the 13th century castle it used to have, once belonging to the Barons of Württemberg.

Today’s Neckartenzlingen is a blend of old and new; and pretty Swabian countryside. It used to be known for its 20 sandstone quarries. A guided tour around one of Neckartenzlingen’s hiking trails has to do with its geology and landscape, so you’re bound to learn a few things.

You can learn more at the local museum, housed in the Melchior Festhalle. Just so you know, there are no general openings at the museum (housed in the basement of the Hall) so you got to call ahead to see the fossils and minerals. That’s not all there is, either. The museum has a whole exhibit dedicated to cooking — nice, considering some mighty tasty dishes come from Swabia.

Work up a real appetite, go see Neckartenzlingen’s 16th century Martinskirche (Martin’s Church), and its half-timbered Town Hall (b. 1680).

And if you’re not eating or learning some history, you can treat yourself to some wonderful cultural events. Classical concerts, cabaret, and art exhibitions are generally held at the Neckarburg; all in addition to the Jazz and Gospel Music performances that are usually going on.

Come October when the town holds its Mühlenfest, while September is the month for Neckartenzlingen’s Flea Market.

You know, now that I think about it, Germany didn’t give Neckartenzlingen a name as big as its area — it gave it a name as big as its heart.